Tuesday, March 20, 2012

Happy 4th Birthday!

Just a few photos from Sam's birthday evening. 





Happy girls with tummies full of birthday cake! 

My little girl is growing up way too fast!!

Friday, March 9, 2012

our Lenten prayers

So for part of my observation of Lent I am trying to pray more regularly with the girls. And to take those prayers beyond just meal time prayers.
I have this book "A Prayer A Day" and have been using it a lot! I am just in love with some of the prayers that we have been saying and wanted to share them with you all.

"Thank you for flowers,
Thank you for trees, 
Thank you for grasses, 
That toss in the breeze.
Thanks you for vegetables, 
Thank you for spice,
Thank you for everything 
That makes food taste nice. 
Thank you, dear Father, 
For all things that grow
In sunshine and rain, 
And the glowing rainbow".

"Oh God, 
I feel so bad, 
I said some things
I shouldn't have. 
I want to start
Again and say
With all my heart
I'm sorry".

"Dear God, 
Help me to be good
When I have to share my toys.
Help me to be good
When I'm making too much noise. 
Help me to be good
And eat up all my greens. 
Help me to be good
When I'm tempted to be mean. 
Help me to be good
Each and every day. 
Help me to be good 
In every single way".

"Dear Father, thank you for today. 
There were good parts I'd like to remember, 
and bad parts I'd rather forget. Forgive me 
for the things I did wrong and help me to 
be better tomorrow. Thank you for all
the good things and thank you for being
with me in it all". 
 - We sometimes say this one and then recap our day. I say the prayer and then ask Sam and Avery to tell me their good parts of the day and their bad parts of the day. We have had some pretty good talks about those bad parts and how we can make them better. Once we have talked then we say the prayer again.

This one is Sam's favorite -
"Jesus, please be near me
As I lie in bed tonight, 
There's a dark place in the corner
And it's giving me a fright!
Mom says it's just a shadow, 
And shadows are thin air, 
But I can see it grinning, 
And it's sitting in my chair!
Please shine your light, dear Jesus, 
So that I can see
The shadow's really nothing
Now that you are close to me".  
- I am not sure if she really likes the prayer or if she just likes to continue to extend her bedtime routine by asking for me to read this one right before she goes to bed!

How are you observing Lent? Are you involving your kids?